Flared Gas Delivery Tube for Unobstructed Tissue Dissection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing instruments for delivering gas under pressure to separate layers of living tissues often face obstruction at the distal exit due to blood clots, hindering optimal tissue separation and complicating surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The instrument features a tube with a flared, truncated cone-shaped distal end and a hook design, which reduces the through-hole section at the curved part and returns to the nominal section at the rectilinear part, facilitating unobstructed gas ejection, along with a gas supply system including a jack, non-return valve, and electrical connectivity for electrocautery options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a straight tube with a constant cross-section through-hole is used, then the instrument structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the distal outlet is easily obstructed by blood clots, preventing optimal gas ejection and tissue separation
Solution Approach 1:
The through-hole is designed with different cross-sectional areas at different locations: a smaller cross-section in the proximal portion and a larger cross-section at the distal outlet. This local variation in geometry prevents blood clot obstruction at the outlet while maintaining structural simplicity, thereby ensuring reliable gas ejection without significantly increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The distal outlet of the through-hole is designed with a curved or rounded geometry rather than a sharp edge. This curvature prevents blood clots from lodging at the outlet and facilitates smooth gas flow, improving ejection reliability while adding minimal complexity to the tube structure
2Productivity
If the distal outlet cross-section is increased to prevent obstruction, then gas ejection is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase due to the flared geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The through-hole cross-sectional area is gradually increased from proximal to distal, creating a flared geometry that optimizes gas ejection and prevents obstruction. This gradual parameter change improves tissue separation efficiency while the conical shape is designed to be manufacturable with standard precision tolerances, balancing productivity gains with manufacturing feasibility
3Reliability
If a flared truncated cone shape is created in the curved part of the hook, then obstruction is reduced and gas ejection is facilitated, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tube is divided into distinct segments: a curved portion and a substantially straight portion, with the flared through-hole located specifically in the straight portion. This segmentation allows the flared geometry to be manufactured separately or as a distinct feature, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining outlet unobstruction reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The distal outlet features a curved or rounded cross-section rather than a sharp angular shape. This curvature naturally prevents blood clot accumulation and facilitates gas flow while being amenable to standard tube forming and drilling processes, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while improving reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design significantly reduces obstruction at the distal outlet, ensuring continuous gas ejection and improved tissue separation, simplifying surgical procedures and reducing intervention duration.
Implementation Method 1
The portion of through-hole which is made in a part Pb of the tube 12 which comprises the distal end 115 of said tube, is flared substantially in the form of a truncated cone 20... significantly reduces obstruction at the distal outlet 15, ensuring continuous gas ejection
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to instruments for blowing gas into a living organ to facilitate the dissection of that organ. The instrument according to the invention essentially comprises a handling handle 10 adapted to be grasped by a surgeon; an outlet 11 formed on the handle; a tube 12 having a through bore 13 defined between a proximal inlet 14 and a distal outlet 15; means for connecting the proximal inlet of the bore 13 with the orifice 11; means 16 for coupling an external gas supply source with the outlet orifice 11; the portion of the through bore 13 which is formed in the part of the tube 12 having the distal outlet 15 being substantially flared into a truncated cone 20, optionally of revolution, the large base 25 of this truncated cone being substantially coincident with the distal outlet 15 of the bore 13.